


Awkward, Yet Functional

by SweetFloatFlats



Category: Pandora Hearts
Genre: Confession, Fluff, Love, M/M, Romance, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Winter, dumb boys talk about their feelings, ozbert - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-17 05:32:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13070172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetFloatFlats/pseuds/SweetFloatFlats
Summary: A simple walk through town causes Oz to reveal his true feelings.





	Awkward, Yet Functional

The cold air brushed past Oz Vessalius' cheek, and a shiver was sent down his spine. He could hear the gentle flapping of his valet's overcoat beside him as they walked, and it gave him the strange urge to smile.

When he did, Oz noticed that it wouldn't go away. He rubbed his cheeks, even bit down on the side of his thumb, but it wouldn't go away. Instead of crying out in pain, he found himself laughing at how weird it was that he would want to stop smiling after he had somehow managed to do so for the first time in a while.

The sound caught his valet's ears, and Gilbert Nightray slid his gaze down to the blond boy next to him, who was having a hard time containing his laughter now. He stopped walking to stand beside Oz, pausing to watch his face almost shine with the radiating happiness that came when seeing someone else laugh or smile. 

It was contagious, and the valet found himself struggling to hold back a smile as well.

"O-Oz, what's so funny?" He managed to pop the words from his throat without laughing in between, but it caused a stutter.

The younger—yet technically not younger at all; it was quite confusing to most—boy took a moment to catch his breath.

"Ahhh," he sighed out heavily, smiling up at Gilbert. "S-sorry! I don't know why I couldn't stop laughing...."

He waved a hand quickly and watched as Gilbert's face turned a dark red. For a moment he assumed it was because of another gust of cold air, but then he realized that it was probably just the valet becoming flustered over whatever he would call 'cute'. It wasn't true in Oz's mind—Gil was much more adorable when he was embarrassed about something.

"Aw, does Gil find something embarrassing~?" The master teased, collar popping up with another, more violent rush of wind. He almost tumbled over, but despite his embarrassment, Gilbert caught Oz anyway.

The blond felt his own cheeks burning now. His face was pressed against his valet's chest—it was strange that the smell of Gilbert made him feel safe, but he wouldn't accept it and stood again.

It was awkward for only a minute before Oz stumbled to murmur out a 'thank you', and Gilbert smiled sincerely in return.

Gil held a hand out to Oz, and turned his gaze back forward.

"There's not much longer," he started out slowly, "until we reach Pandora. Just...until then, if you'd like."

The blond blinked a few times and then laughed, taking the gloved hand that lingered in front of him.

"Thanks, Gil." He grinned. "I've been...really depressed lately."

The words slipped out naturally, and Oz found himself confiding his troubles into the same kid years ago who he had mocked for crying. Now he felt...almost like crying himself. Even with having just laughed uncontrollably not five minutes ago.

"It's...really hard, you know...?" Oz tightened his grip around his valet's fingers, and Gil looked up at him with brows knit together.

How could Oz have kept all this in for so long? Surely any longer and he would've just...snapped.

The valet couldn't take it—he pulled Oz into a gentle and comforting hug.

"It's okay, Oz."

The blond flinched; the feeling of Gil's arms wrapped tight around him sent his heart aflutter. He smiled slightly—one that looked sad, and almost weak.

"Gil...I love you...."

The ravenet paused now, freezing in place.

Did he just hear that right? Oz...said he loved him? Wait, he clearly meant in a friend way, right? Right! Absolutely! There's nothing else...!

"I-I'm very fond of you too," he sputtered out robotically, completely ruining the mood he himself had set up unknowingly.

Oz looked up, pouting. He seemed annoyed—though anyone would be if they confessed their love to someone as dense as Gilbert was.

"No, Gil...." He shook his head slightly, leaning up to his tiptoes. "I mean...I wanna, you know, go out with you...."

The valet's head was spinning, yet he still refused to believe it. He leaned back away from Oz and laughed nervously.

"W-where to, Oz? T-the market? Haha—"

"Gil! Do you hate me that much?" The blond cut his laughter off and crossed his arms irritably. Gilbert couldn't quite tell if he was sad, but it was clear as day how mad his master was. "You listen to me when I'm telling you something!"

Gilbert flinched slightly at the tone and nodded with a "yes!"

Sighing, the boy stepped back and drummed his fingertips on the sides of his arms. He seemed to be thinking on how to say whatever he needed to without confusing Gilbert again.

"Let's see, um...." He paused, and shook his head. "Gil, I love you. Like, I wanna go on dates and stuff. Get it?"

The dark-haired valet stood frozen for a moment, robotic and almost like he was afraid to respond.

This is wrong, Gil thought. Oz is only fifteen! I'd be labeled some kind of pedophile if I accept, right? B-but then again, I've liked him since we were kids.... And he's...also twenty-five somehow.... Agh! I don't understand!

"Hey!"

Oz's irritated tone and expression snapped Gilbert back to reality.

"Don't just zone out! G-give me an answer already...! You like me too, don't you? It's so obvious...."

The valet suddenly flushed dark red. He didn't know what to say, so it all came out in jumbled gibberish.

Oz narrowed his eyes slightly. "English, Gil. I don't speak anything else." He huffed, getting impatient now.

Was it really okay for him to accept? It was, wasn't it?! God, please don't punish that poor, uncertain Contractor.

"I-I-I do, y-yes," Gil sputtered out nervously. His hands twitched slightly and he quickly brought them up to his face. It was so embarrassing to actually admit it....

The blond's face lit up, and he smiled brightly. It was like some kind of happy-bomb went off in his chest and he felt like he was walking on air.

He really never had been in love before, but somehow his wild guess had been right on the mark. Even Gil could hide things from him too, sometimes. He was just lucky.

"Oh, Gil!" Oz laughed and tightly hugged his valet again. "I'm actually surprised that I was right...!"

"T-that was a guess?!"

"Ah." Oz pulled away and gave an apologetic, yet teasing smile. He stuck out his tongue and poked his own cheek in a cutesy way. "I'm sorry! But now that we're going out, I'm going to tease you even more~!"

"T-there's still more?!"

As fate would have it, Gilbert was doomed to die from embarrassment.


End file.
